Everything in Between
by Suna Kunoichi
Summary: Shinobi are raised and trained to kill. Some call them monsters, others call them heroes. Enter Sayaka - A kunoichi who has yet to find her place in the world. A girl who is everything in between. A girl who's not afraid of saving a monster. GaaraxOC
1. Prologue – A Strange Acquaintance

**Disclaimer**: If I owned Naruto, this would've happened. Gaara is awesome and deserves more camera time!!

**A/N**: Okay, this is my first Naruto fic. I would love to get reviews, but I'm not going to beg. However, constructive criticism is appreciated. Also, this story will follow the manga to a certain extent. If some things seem off, that's intentional.

**Everything in Between**

**Prologue – A Strange Acquaintance**

The little red-haired boy no older than five watched the other children playing from his sandbox, misery playing in his aquamarine eyes. The small group kicked the ball back and forth, using their undeveloped skills as ninjas to keep it away from the opposing team.

The solitary boy looked away from the group, sighing ever so slightly. Turning his back to them, he continued to play with the sand.

The sand moved and dance across the box, bending to his will. He watched it half-heartedly. Amazing as it would be to other people, it was a completely ordinary occurrence for him.

The ball rolled into the sandbox, barreling toward the young boy.

"Head's up!"

Before he even turned around, a shield of sand erupted from the box, protecting him from harm.

The children screamed in horror, noticing him for the first time. Running as fast as they could, they darted out of the playground.

"Wait!" the little boy called to no avail.

Without looking back, they left him standing there. He watched them all as they ran, anguish making him screw up his face.

He was all alone again.

--

Silver-white hair dance wildly around the little girl's face as she ran after her mother. The sun beat down on her form, aching to burn her pale complexion.

"Sayaka, come underneath the umbrella!"

Sayaka grinned and ran after her mother, leaping into her arms. The tall, regal woman smiled faintly, picking up the girl and falling after her husband.

"Mommy?"

The woman looked down at the smiling girl in her arms. "Yes?"

Sayaka looked down at her mother's necklace. A pretty silver crescent moon with the kanji for love, forgiveness, trust, and mercy written on it dangled from a silver chain.

"Can I go play? I saw a playground down the road."

The woman frowned slightly. She wasn't sure enough about Sunagakure's safety as long as the treaty wasn't signed.

"Sayuri, it'll be fine. We'll be done in twenty minutes. I'll wrap things up with Kazekage-sama quickly."

Sayuri looked at her husband and nodded. Being the leader of Getsugakure, he was used to making decisions about safety. He trusted Suna enough to let his daughter run around alone.

Signaling her escort to hand Sayaka her small umbrella, Sayuri let the child jump down from her arms. Sayaka grabbed the umbrella, dipped her head in thanks to the escort, and ran off down the street.

--

The little red haired boy hugged his knees, making meaningless designs in the sand.

"Whatcha doing?"

The boy looked up, his eyes wide. Sayaka smiled down at him, her umbrella shading her from the glare of the desert sun.

He stared at her, not exactly sure what to say.

Sayaka tilted her head to the side, still grinning at him. "I asked what you were doing."

The boy looked away from her blue eyes. They were an unusual blue, clear and oceanic.

"Are you okay?"

Looking up again, the boy noticed she had kneeled down in the sand in front of him. The sand around him shifted, ready to protect him whether he liked it or not.

Sayaka frowned. "I asked if you were okay."

"I'm fine," he mumbled, avoiding eye contact.

The little girl smiled happily then. "Good! I thought you were sick."

The boy looked up. "Why are you talking to me?"

Sayaka shrugged. "You seemed lonely."

"Oh."

They sat there in silence for a while. Finally, the little girl stood up.

"I have to go soon."

Silence.

She tilted her head to the side. "Hey, what's your name?"

He looked up at her, opening his mouth to answer when someone shouted.

"There you are! It's time to go, sweetie," called Sayaka's mother.

"Coming, Mommy!"

Before she turned and ran to her mother, Sayaka turned back to the boy. "Hey, maybe, if I come back with Daddy someday, we can play together!"

The little boy nodded slightly. Smiling at him again, she ran off to her mother, leaving the red-head alone again.

A hot, dry desert wind blew across the playground as mother and daughter left hand-in-hand. The little boy watched Sayaka's retreating back with loneliness in his eyes.

"My name is Gaara…"


	2. Chapter One – Setting Out

**Disclaimer**: Be thankful that I don't own Naruto. If I did, well, let's just say that Orochimaru's tongue would suffer.

**A/N**: Alright, people, the story ahs officially begun! Sorry for the prologue being so short. The chapters are going to be much longer, I promise. I wasn't even sure if I was going to make the prologue, so that's why it wasn't that long. Anyway, please review. It's helpful to me. Thank you and enjoy the chapter!!

**Everything in Between**

**Chapter One – Setting Out**

Sunlight streamed through the open window, illuminating the unusually clean room. A single figure could be seen through the window.

_Shuriken… Check. Kunai… Check. Senbon… Check. Katana… Check._

The girl carefully sorted through her belongings, making sure she had everything she needed. Beside the backpack on her bed, an assortment of weapons, scrolls, and medical supplies lay waiting to be packed.

_Looks like that's about it._

Zipping up the backpack, the girl went to find her forehead protector, her silver-white hair swishing just above her shoulders.

"Sayaka! Are you still here?"

Akahana Sayaka smiled slightly, quickly tying her black forehead protector around her neck.

"Yeah, Kyo! Just give me a second. I have to get dressed."

The girl laughed, hearing her teammate muttering through the door.

"Hurry up! Sensei will kill us if we're late!!"

Sayaka shook her head. "Don't you mean Tenshi will kill _you_?"

A long pause preceded a string of curses that only made Sayaka laugh harder. Kyo had a foul mouth to match his quick temper, but he was a good person at heart.

"Just hurry up! I don't want to be late either!"

"Alright, alright! If you keep bugging me, Kyo, then I'm going to go slower."

Sayaka listened carefully as Kyo stomped noisily down the stairs to wait in her kitchen.

_Hot-head…_

Slipping off her kimono, Sayaka quickly pulled on her black capris and short-sleeved fishnet shirt.

Someone was banging on the door now, determined for her to hurry. Sayaka laughed as she pulled on her black sandals and half tank top, leaving her stomach bare except for her fishnet undershirt.

"Kyo, stop banging on my door! I'm coming out!!

Sayaka burst through her door, knocking both her teammates down. Kyo cursed at her again, rubbing his backside.

"Sorry, guys, didn't know you were so close to the door," Sayaka pulled Tenshi up, smiling, "When did you get here?"

The smaller girl smiled softly. "Two minutes ago."

"Ah."

Shizuma Tenshi was very little in size. Her small, thin frame made her seem weak. Despite this, she was anything but. She was more accomplished in weaponry than any of the other genins, ore chuunins for that matter. Her long, pale golden hair, emerald eyes, and creamy skin only added to the illusion. As per usual, Tenshi dressed modestly, wearing her dark blue forehead protector around her arm and dressed in a dark green kimono-style shirt, dark blue pants, and dark blue sandals. Tenshi was the brains of the squad, her IQ going through the roof.

Takeda Kyo, on the other hand, looked every bit the ninja he was. Tall for his age, his tan skin, spiky brown hair, and dark brown eyes made him seem even bigger than he was. His specialty, naturally, was Taijutsu. He was the brawn of the team, using his superior size, weight, and stamina to win against opponents. His apparel of choice was his black forehead protector worn on his forehead, a brown sleeveless shirt with a wide collar, baggy black shorts, and black sandals.

Sayaka smiled to herself as she and her team went downstairs. She was lucky to have such a wonderful, supporting team. They had been together for just over two years, since they were ten. Along with their sensei, they were the perfect combination.

"Sayaka?"

Sayaka looked at her teammate as they headed out the door. Tenshi was the perfect contrast for Kyo. She was polite where he was rude, kind where he could be brash, sensible when he was careless, friendly despite his sullenness. She was the friendliest, nicest, most compassionate member of the group.

"Yes?"

Tenshi turned her attention back to the path they were walking on.

"Are you nervous?"

Sayaka almost laughed. "Not a bit."

Tenshi looked up at her in surprise. "Really? I thought you would be…"

That's when Sayaka realized it. Tenshi didn't want to be the only nervous one in the group.

"Don't worry. Everything's going to be fine. Even if we fail this year, we'll just do it again and again until we get it."

"That's right!" said Kyo, who had popped of between the girls, slinging his arms over their shoulders.

"Besides," Sayaka said, a smirk forming on her face, "Kyo's nervous too."

Kyo turned an angry red. " I am not!"

Sayaka and Tenshi laughed. Annoying their teammate was easier then it should've been.

"What're you three up to?"

The genin team turned around quickly, coming face-to-face with their sensei.

"Hi, Yutaka-sensei!" Tenshi said brightly.

Daishi Yutaka was a tall, lean, muscular man with shoulder-length black hair, gray eyes, and a tan complexion. As a Genjutsu expert, he was quiet, controlled, and civil. He appeared before his charges in his usual garb, a gray jounin vest, black three-quarter-length shirt, black pants, and black sandals. His black forehead protector was set securely around his forehead, acting as a bandanna and covering the top of his head as well.

"Are you three ready to leave?"

They all looked at each other animatedly before answering in unison.

"YES!!"

Yutaka smiled slightly. He had grown attached to the three misfit genin over the years. Their antics amused him to no end and their starkly contrasted personalities brought out the best in him.

"Sensei?"

Yutaka turned to look down at the 'leader', as Kyo and Tenshi lovingly called her, of the band of three. Sayaka had the most potential out of all the group, especially when it came to wind-element Ninjutsu and summoning jutsus.

"Yes, Sayaka?"

Sayaka turned her attention to the West. Yutaka followed her gaze, knowing exactly what she was looking for.

"I'll meet you guys at the gates. I have something I want to do before we leave."

Yutaka nodded. "That's fine. Just be quick. I want to leave the village before ten o'clock.

He had barely finished his sentence before Sayaka ran off. He shook his head; she could be impatient at times.

Turning back to his other two students, he sighed. "Alright, you two, let's go wait for her at the gates."

--

Sayaka entered the temple, lighting a candle as she did. Walking the length of the large building, she stopped and kneeled before a tall stone. Writing could be seen on the face of the stone.

She placed the candle in front of the stone, looking up at the names quietly.

"I thought I'd come and visit you guys before I left. I'm going to be gone for a while, so I won't be able to come and light candles every day like I used to. But don't worry, Tory says he'll do it."

Sayaka smiled sadly. She hadn't been able to go there every day like she used to. When she became a genin, her missions had started to take her farther and farther away from the village.

"Tory's been really busy. I suppose he should be though, he's running the village! But I don't think he regrets it. After all, he's your son! He always wanted to follow in your footsteps."

Sayaka stood, placing her hand on the stone. Her expression grew serious, making her seem more like the kunoichi she was.

"Don't worry, Mom, Dad. I'm going to make you and big brother proud! Tory's expecting me to do well, and I'm not going to let him down."

She smiled suddenly, breaking the serious atmosphere. She turned around and walked out of the temple, the firelight glinting over her crescent moon necklace. As she walked out, the sunlight reflected off of her forehead protector, making the crescent moon symbol on it glow for a moment.

Running quickly though the village, she met her teammates at the gate.

"You all ready now?" their sensei asked.

"Yep."

"You bet!"

"Yes, sensei."

He smiled at them. "Alright then, it's time to go to Konoha!"

As they walked out of the Getsugakure, Sayaka smirked to herself.

_Off to Konoha and off to the chuunin exams!_

--

**A/N**: Okay, so that's the first chapter. Questions, comments, or concerns? Click the review button to share! Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter Two – Enter Konoha

**Disclaimer**: I wish I owned Naruto. But, let's face it, I don't. So there's no reason for you to sue me.

**A/N**: You know, it's just a little bit discouraging when you only get one review for the first two chapters of a story when over forty people have hit it. I'm not going to whine, but it's nice to get feedback on your writing. That's all I have to say.

**Special Thanks**: I'd like to give special thanks to **shortslover911** for being my FIRST and ONLY reviewer. Thanks a bunch!! You get Gaara cookies!!

**Everything in Between**

**Chapter Two – Enter Konoha**

"I'm _bored_!"

Sayaka hit her teammate over the head for what seemed like the thousandth time that day.

"Ouch! Sayaka!!"

Sayaka let out a sound somewhere between a growl and a groan. She turned her oceanic eyes towards Kyo and gave him a glacial glare.

"If you didn't say such stupid things I wouldn't have to hit you."

They had been traveling for two days now. Konoha, being one of the five greater villages, was farther away from Getsu than the team would've liked.

"Sayaka, I really don't think he needed to be hit," Tenshi replied calmly.

"Ah, but you have an abundance of patience. I don't," Sayaka sighed.

Yutaka shook his head and sighed. They were all bored, tired, and anxious to get to Konoha as soon as possible. He had trained his students to be patient, but they were still teenagers.

"Stop fighting you three. We'll be there in another three hours if we hurry. Really, the chuunin exams aren't going to start for another five days. Be patient, we have plenty of time."

Sayaka sighed again, jumping into the trees to look at the sky. The sun was setting and she could just make out the rising moon.

_A crescent moon…_

Sayaka touched her forehead protector with reverence. Getsugakure, the village hidden under the moon, was well known for having a spectacular view of its namesake. Sayaka loved sitting on her rooftop and watching the different phases of the moon as it waned and waxed.

The forests surrounding Konoha were very different from those near Getsu. The bark of the Konoha trees was dark and the leaves were many different shades of green. The trees in Getsu, however, were sparser, their trunks and limbs a silver-brown and their leaves a gray-green color.

"Sayaka, look out!"

Sayaka's eyes flashed to the right, her serene expression turning to anger in an instant. She flipped off the tree branch, narrowly avoiding the blast of, well, she didn't know what, and started falling.

_Damn it!_

Pulling out a kunai as she rushed quickly down to the ground, Sayaka jammed it into a tree. Cursing herself for her own laxity, she jumped the rest of the way down, landing catlike in a crouched position.

"Sayaka! Are you okay!?"

Sayaka turned to Tenshi, her eyes still blazing. "Yeah, but whoever did that isn't going to be."

Kyo was already rushing to the source of the disturbance. An explosion sounded, rocking the forest.

"Kyo!!" Tenshi shouted. With that, she was off, uncoiling the metal-plated whip that hung at her side and racing toward the clearing Kyo was in.

Sayaka followed closely, thoughts of maiming on her mind. Her countenance turned instantly from a teenage girl to that of a kunoichi.

Reaching the clearing, she threw a handful of shuriken towards the only stranger in it. Her shuriken hit their target, only to have him turn into a log.

"Crap!! Kyo, Tenshi, fall back now!"

They obeyed, rushing back to her side instantly.

"Who and what the hell are we dealing with!?" Kyo asked, his words coming out as a snarl.

Tenshi eyed the log carefully. "I'd say someone with a decent skill level."

Sayaka had regained her composure. She stepped away from her two companions, sliding her katana from its sheath on her back.

"Sayaka, Kyo, Tenshi, that's enough!"

Sayaka stopped, her expression once again serene, and turned around to look at her sensei.

"He started it," she said calmly, sheathing the blade and joining her teammates.

"I don't care, I'm finishing it," Yutaka turned to the clearing, "Come out or I'll let my student here continue."

"I apologize for my student's behavior. It seems that the chuunin exams have him riled up," said a tall, pale, creepy man who walked out from the trees towards Yutaka. He was flanked by two genin; one a girl with long black hair and the other boy who had bandages wrapped all around him, making him look like a mummy. Another boy followed a smirk plastered on his face and his black hair sticking up slightly.

_Otogakure shinobi._

As its name suggested, Oto's ninja wore music notes on their forehead protectors. Being a fairly new village, Sayaka knew next to nothing about it.

"It's quite alright. I expect that everyone will be the same," Yutaka replied calmly.

"Yeah, I'm so sorry for what happened," said the boy, not sounding or looking apologetic in the least.

Sayaka tilted her head to the side, her expression eerily calm. "It's fine."

The boy's sensei eyed Sayaka with a smirk on his face. "My, that's quite a student you have."

Yutaka smiled slightly. "I agree."

There was something dangerous in Yutaka's smile as he and the Oto jounin locked eyes. The heavy atmosphere only fueled the adrenaline running through Sayaka's system.

Yutaka turned back to his students. "We'd best head back to the main road now, you three."

Kyo and Tenshi nodded, turning to follow their sensei. Sayaka let them pass, her gaze still directed at the Oto nin.

Sayaka smiled, her expression still placid. "Oh, by the way, you should probably take care of that cut on your cheek. It could get infected."

The black-haired boy frowned. "What cut? You didn't land a single blow on me."

With a movement that seemed like a blur, Sayaka threw a kunai across the clearing. The kunai cut the boy's cheek, leaving a shallow gash, and landed in the tree behind him.

"That cut."

The boy's expression turned furious. Before he could act, his sensei put his arm in front of him, blocking any attack that he could make.

"Your aim is impeccable, my dear," the jounin said.

Sayaka nodded and turned around, walking after her team.

"See you at the exams," she sang in a singsong voice, lifting her hand in farewell.

The Oto jounin smiled maliciously as she left. "What a fascinating child."

--

Back on the main road, the Getsu team moved along easily. Surrounding them were many other teams from neighboring villages, all intent on becoming chuunin.

As Sayaka looked around, she realized that there were very few people her own age. Most were older and looked tougher than her team.

_But none of them can beat us._

Looking around more, Sayaka's eyes landed on a team that looked to be about her own age. By the looks of their clothes and forehead protectors, they were from Sunagakure, another of the greater ninja villages.

One was a blonde girl, her hair tied up into four pigtails; strapped on her back was what look like a giant fan. Another was a boy with paint on his face wearing a black jumpsuit that covered him head to toe; a mummy-like thing rested on his back as well. But it was the last one that caught Sayaka's eye.

He stood just taller than her, she guessed, his red hair the color of blood. On the left side of his forehead stood the kanji for love, also a bloody color. A gourd, almost matching his height, resided on his back.

But it wasn't his hair or the gourd or even his stony expression for that matter that caught Sayaka's interest. It was his eyes. They were an odd aquamarine color; around his eyes were rings of black. Whether it was lack of sleep or makeup, Sayaka couldn't tell. For some reason, he was eerily familiar to her. His appearance held an odd sense of déjà vu for Sayaka.

As if he knew he was being examined, he turned around, locking his eyes with hers. Aquamarine and ocean blue clashed, bringing a sharp intake of breath from the Getsu kunoichi.

Sayaka stopped in her tracks, as the Suna nin did, and had to stop herself from shuddering. There was an unmistakable bloodlust in his eyes; a killing instinct that Sayaka had never seen before.

Though she had seen bloodlust in a shinobi's eyes before, Sayaka had never seen it so intense in one individual. His eyes pierced straight through her, hypnotizing her. It was like he was trying to kill her with only his eyes.

Sayaka was vaguely aware that the girl on his team had stopped and was talking to him. He didn't respond; he didn't break the spell. She found her breath becoming shallower.

"Sayaka? Yo, earth to Sayaka! Come in Sayaka!!"

Kyo shook her roughly, nearly knocking her down. As she stumbled, whatever spell had come over her broke. Looking around, she realized that she had taken three steps towards the redhead.

"What're you doing?"

Sayaka turned back to Kyo, her gaze slightly unfocused. She shook her head, glancing back at the Suna shinobi.

He had turned away also, pushing past his team and leading them, and his sensei, into Konoha.

"Sayaka?" there was concern in Kyo's voice now.

"I'm fine, I just got dizzy," Sayaka lied quickly.

"Oh, alright. The come on!"

Kyo grabbed her hand and ran after Tenshi and Yutaka. Tenshi gave Sayaka an odd look, also glancing over to the Suna ninjas. Before she could even open her mouth Sayaka shook her head, mouthing the word 'later'.

"Are you ready?"

The three genin looked at their sensei seriously before nodding. He smirked slightly to himself as they turned away from him and headed into the village of Konohagakure.

Sayaka led them, Tenshi on her right with Kyo on her left and Yutaka following, into the mighty village. They held their heads high and walked with the quiet grace that only a ninja could possess.

A breeze stirred the air, lifting the kunoichi's silver hair away from her neck. Sayaka's face broke out into a wicked smile.

_It's time to kick some butt._

--

**A/N**: Yay, I got another chapter up! Hope everyone liked this one! And -gasp- we got to see Gaara for the first time!! Hooray! Anyway, please review. It will motivate me to work harder.


	4. Chapter Three – Nightmarish Realities

**Disclaimer**: Honestly. If I actually owned Naruto do you think I'd be here? No. Masashi Kishimoto owns Naruto, not me.

**A/N**: Thanks to my few reviewers! I really appreciate the fact that you took the time to do that. It's nice to know that some people are considerate enough to tell me what they think. If you plan on putting this story in your favorite or alert lists, would you mind reviewing? It's not that hard. Really, I've done it. Leave a single word for all I care. Just say _**S-O-M-E-T-H-I-N-G**_.

**Special** **Thanks**: Special thanks goes out to:

shortslover911

Bethany (anonymous reviewer)

Sorami-san

Thank you guys so much for reviewing! You all really made my day. This chapter is dedicated to you three!!

**Everything in Between**

**Chapter Three – Nightmarish Realities**

"So where are we staying?"

Yutaka stopped and looked down at Tenshi. "At a hotel."

"Well no duh! Which one are we staying at!" Kyo shouted in exasperation.

Sayaka trailed along behind her sensei and teammates, barely listening. Aquamarine eyes and a killing glare danced through her thoughts, making her shiver despite the warm night.

"Sayaka?"

Sayaka blinked, shook her head, and looked up. Looking at her team, she realized that she had stopped walking. Tenshi was facing her, concern in her eyes.

Sayaka gave her a quick smile, running up to her teammate and linking their arms together. Worry still creased Tenshi's brow, making Sayaka sigh.

"I'm fine! Just tired, really."

"Yeah, but you've been spacey all day," Kyo joined in.

Sayaka shook her head again as she took the lead and began walking aimlessly through the streets of Konoha.

They had entered the great village of Konohagakure that morning, their spirits soaring. Immediately upon arrival, Yutaka had informed his three genin that they had to register with the Hokage.

Sayaka liked the old man straight away. Laugh lines and age spots along with sun damage and crow's feet had decorated his aged face. His voice was hoarse and deep, like he had to yell all throughout his life.

The young kunoichi had been surprised that someone so old could rule such a powerful village. But when he had turned his old eyes on her, she knew why. There was wisdom in them that made her stand up straighter, look him in the eyes, and end all her sentences with a 'sir'.

"Can we just find a place to stay? I'm tired and I need sleep," Sayaka said as she released Tenshi.

"All we have to do is choose one. Hokage-sama said that, for the duration of the chuunin exams, applicants from other villages don't have to pay for the cost of the hotel rooms," Yutaka said wearily.

"Alright! Let's see… I choose… That one!" Kyo said, running into the nearest hotel.

"How in the _world_ did he become a ninja?" Sayaka asked.

"I wouldn't know," Tenshi said fondly.

Sayaka looked at Tenshi as the small girl gazed fondly at Kyo. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what was going on there. Since the team had started, Sayaka had realized a mutual crush had developed between the two. Personally, she thought they would make a perfect couple. But, of course, the two would never admit their feelings.

"Sayaka, hurry up!"

Sayaka smiled slightly to herself as she ran into hotel. Yutaka was already checking them into a suite with two bedrooms; one for Sayaka and Tenshi, the other for Yutaka and Kyo.

Sayaka and Tenshi talked as they got ready for bed. Silly things such as boys and makeup and clothes never entered the conversation. Often, the conversation strayed towards their village but never once did it touch the subject of family.

"'Night, Tenshi," Sayaka said as they turned off the lights.

"Sweet dreams, Sayaka," Tenshi replied sleepily.

Sayaka turned onto her side, a wince crossing her face.

_If only that were possible…_

--

Sayaka stood in her clan's complex, watching as the flames overtook the houses. Red fire and black smoke crossed and uncrossed with each other.

_Not again. Please no, not again…_

The scariest thing about the scene wasn't the enormous fire, or the pools and splatters of blood, or even the mutilated bodies. It was the silence. There was no screaming at all.

_I don't want to see this again._

A little girl huddled against the wall separating the complex from the rest of Getsu. She was covered in soot and blood, tears streaming from her eyes.

_Please, somebody stop this!_

Sayaka watched her younger self cower against the wall, trembling and wide-eyed.

"What an adorable little girl," said a smooth, deep voice.

Sayaka's eyes widened as she turned to the voice. There he stood, the demon in that plagued her every sleeping moment.

In all honesty, he unbelievably handsome in his own way. If he had been a man in the first place, that is. He was very tall, his body muscled beyond the human norm. His ash colored skin was smooth, like it had been sculpted from granite. His blood red eyes were slanted ever so slightly, accentuating his slanted pupils. His teeth and nails were wickedly pointed, giving him a devilish look.

The man kneeled down in front of the eight-year-old Sayaka. An evil smirk marred his inhuman beauty. The child's eyes widened as he reached down and placed his bloody hand on the top of her head.

"You look just like your mother," he said, his voice low.

"Get away from her, Kokuei!"

Without taking his hand from the girl, Kokuei turned to face Akahana Sayuri. She was bruised and bloody; her left arm hung at her side, broken and bleeding.

Sayaka turned when she heard her mother's voice. Tears started to from in her eyes. She knew what was going to happen

_Mother! Stop! Don't go any closer!!_

"She's beautiful, Sayuri. Just like you. I don't think she's your only child, is she?" Kokuei asked, his tone malicious.

"No, and you're not going to take anymore of my family from me!"

Kokuei turned away from the young Sayaka, standing up and walking confidently towards the broken woman.

"Your clan attacked me, Sayuri. I was only defending myself."

Sayuri lifted her good arm and waved it towards the complex. "_This_ is what you call defending yourself?"

Kokuei grinned. "You know it is. For me, this is mild."

"You're sick!"

"Maybe. But, rest assured, I will complete my revenge on your pathetic family."

Sayuri fell to her knees, placing her hand on the ground. Seals shot out from under her hand, encircling her and Kokuei.

_No!! Stop it!_

Kokuei frowned. "You'll just kill yourself."

Sayuri glanced towards her daughter. "Yes, but it's worth it to stop you!"

Sayuri grabbed a kunai and, closing her eyes, plunged it into her own heart. Blood poured from her body and into the sealed circle. The seals turned a burning white color. Kokuei screamed furiously, reaching out to take hold of Sayuri.

"Mommy!"

Sayuri looked at her daughter as she ran towards her. The little Sayaka hit the circle and was blown back.

"S-Sayaka… St-Stay… Stay back!"

Kokuei snarled furiously at the woman. "Damn you, Sayuri! I _will_ get my revenge! You can't keep me sealed forever. Someone else will want my power, and they'll be willing to undo your seal! I'll destroy them, Sayuri. I'll destroy your children!"

_NO!!_

Sayuri gasped as Kokuei started to fade, her heartbeat slowing.

_Someone, anyone, stop this now!_

Turning to her child, the older kunoichi smiled slightly. Both Sayaka's watched in horror as she fell over, her body lifeless_._

"_MOMMY!!_"

--

Sayaka bolted straight up in bed, her face dripping with sweat. It took a minute for her to slow her breathing and heart rate.

_Not again…_

She looked at the clock beside her bed.

_Ugh, why me?_

The dream always ended at twelve. She wouldn't be able to go to sleep for at least two hours now. It had been the same every night since she was eight. Ever night since the night she had watched her clan, her father, and her mother die at the hands of a demon.

_I hate my life…_

Getting out of bed, Sayaka dressed quietly. Being careful not to wake any of her team, Sayaka quickly left the hotel.

_I'll just take a walk. That'll calm me down._

Closing the door behind her, Sayaka looked up at the sky. The moon was the only constant comfort Sayaka could count on.

_It's a full moon tonight…_

As she walked down the road, Sayaka sighed.

_It's going to be one of those nights._

--

**A/N**: Okay, so in this chapter, we learned more about Sayaka's past. Hope everyone like it! And remember, _**R-E-V-I-E-W**_!! Ja ne!!


	5. Chapter Four – Sabaku no Gaara

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto, think I own Naruto, or pretend I own Naruto. However, I do wish I owned Naruto. But, once again, I don't.

**A/N**: Yay! The fourth chapter of _Everything in Between_ is out! Thank you to my few (and I really do mean few) reviewers. Rabid Gaara fans will like this chapter, I think. Even if you don't, I do. I L-O-V-E Gaara and it was fun (and hard) to write him. So, I hope you all enjoy chapter four!! PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!!

**Special Thanks**: Thank you to my only reviewer for chapter three:

Lozzieh

**Everything in Between**

**Chapter Four – Sabaku no Gaara**

Sayaka slowly made her way around Konoha. Her destination? Undetermined.

_So tired…_

She had been walking around for the past hour. Not once had she stopped to rest or even to look at something. The streets were empty except for the bar-goers or occasional guard ninja. Any and all she came across gave her a strange look. It wasn't every night you saw a young girl walking around alone.

Not that Sayaka went into the heavily populated areas, of course. No, tonight, she wanted to be alone. It took long enough to get to sleep without adding the excitement of Konoha's nightlife.

Konoha was so different from Getsu. Getsu, though not extremely small, was puny compared to Konoha. Surrounded by an abundance of trees and forests, the village of Konohagakure stood proud. Even its mountain, in whose side the faces of the Hokages were carved, seemed to be grander than any Sayaka had seen before.

But Sayaka wasn't sightseeing. The bright lights and beautiful village held little interest for the girl. She only wanted a quiet place to calm her thoughts. Maybe she would even train a little.

Reaching over her shoulder, Sayaka felt for her Katana. When her hand only grasped air, her heart fell.

_I didn't bring any weapons with me…_

Not that she expected to need any. She didn't think she would be attacked by any enemy ninja in such a peaceful place. Still, she hated to walk around unarmed. A ninja walking around without weapons would be a sitting duck for enemies.

_Oh well. Not like I can do anything about it now. May as well head back, I suppose. Maybe I can just lie in bed till I fall asleep._

Even as she changed her course to head back to the hotel, something caught her eye. A little playground, with only a slide and a two-person swing-set, rested in an alcove of trees. Set in a large sandbox, the playground seemed almost forlorn. Sayaka found herself making her way into the playground instead of to the hotel.

_This place looks old._

It was true. The paint on the swing-set was chipped and peeling, the slide rusting. Even the sand seemed old and unused. It was covered in an assortment of leaves and twigs.

Sayaka sat down on the bench that resided on the outside of the oversized sandbox. She took a deep, shuddering breath and hugged herself. The night had cooled down considerably from when she and her team had been looking for a hotel.

_Maybe I'll just sit here for a while…_

Sayaka stretched her legs out in front of her, letting her arms fall to her sides and her head drop down to the back of the bench. Closing her eyes, the kunoichi let out a sigh.

_Life sucks._

Her thoughts drifted to her brother. Being ten years older than her, he had taken over the ruling of Getsu after her father and mother died. He had been out on a mission the day that their clan was destroyed. He had returned a day later to find his clan slaughtered and his sister scarred for life.

Tory was a very quiet person, speaking only if someone said something important and he needed to respond. Despite this, he was a very benevolent and honorable leader. He had always been kind to Sayaka, making sure she was as well versed in all shinobi arts as she could be. Sayaka loved her brother dearly and she knew that she probably would've lost her mind without him.

A cool breeze blew across the playground, making Sayaka shiver. It had to be past one in the morning. Sayaka felt the beginnings of exhaustion forming in her mind and body. She needed some decent sleep.

All of a sudden, Sayaka felt something stir against her leg. She stiffened, feeling something abrasive slithering up her legs. Slowly, so very slowly, Sayaka opened her eyes and looked down.

_What the hell!?_

The sand slowly made its way up her legs. Sayaka noticed the difference between this sand and the sand in the sandbox immediately. The sand holding her prisoner was a deeper color, more golden than tan. It was, though not smooth, finer than that in the sandbox. Also, a certain smell permeated from it. It smelled faintly of blood and it made her shiver.

Suddenly, Sayaka felt something tugging at her wrists. Before she could react, the sand pinned her hands to her sides. Panic started to settle in her mind, making her look around frantically.

That's when she found him.

He stood there at the opposite edge of the playground his aquamarine eyes blazing with killing instinct. Sand poured out from the gourd resting on his back. His arms were crossed over his chest, his red hair blowing slightly in the breeze. He was just as horrifyingly mesmerizing as he had been that last morning.

Sayaka's locked eyes with him. He pinned her down with his stare alone. She once again found her breath getting shallower as the sand reached her waist.

"Well, what are you waiting for?"

His eyes widened a fraction of an inch; his blank expression turned into mild surprise. Sayaka felt her fear fade away irrationally. She suddenly felt bold, daring

"If you're going to kill me, then do it."

The sand urged up to her chest, tightening as it did. Sayaka took a deep breath and leaned her head back, closing her eyes.

_Okay, maybe that wasn't such a smart idea._

"Who are you?" came a low, raspy voice.

Sayaka's eyes snapped open and her head shot up. She stared at the redhead as he walked over to her. He stopped directly in front of her, staring down at her still form.

"I wont repeat myself."

Sayaka, feeling calm wash over her, tilted her head to the side. "It's common courtesy to give your own name before asking that of another."

To her immense surprise, he answered. "Sabaku no Gaara."

"I'm Akahana Sayaka, pleasure to meet you," she said with a hint of a smile.

The sand tightened again. Sayaka winced ever so slightly, but didn't break eye contact. Gaara glared down at her even as she gazed serenely up at him.

"So… is there a reason you want to kill me?"

She found it odd she could discuss her death with him. Although she could practically feel the bloodlust rolling off of him, she didn't feel frightened. Rather, she felt strangely relaxed in his presence.

"Why are you not screaming?"

Sayaka found his bluntness odd too. "I don't scream."

The sand tightened further. Sayaka had to concentrate on breathing now.

"Why don't you cry?"

"I don't cry either."

There was a long pause. Sayaka could feel sleep tug at her eyelids. Gaara still glared at her, unblinking.

"You've killed a lot of people, haven't you?"

There was an innocent honesty in her question that seemed wrong for any kunoichi to possess. Gaara seemed to sense this, for he didn't answer. Sayaka took that as a yes.

"Why?"

"Because I can. Because I want to."

Sayaka blinked slowly. "Were you dropped on your head as a child?"

It was Gaara's turn to blink. "What?"

"You must've been, because nobody is that messed up. Why would you do that? At least tell me that before you kill me. I think I have a right to know that much."

Gaara paused for a long time. "I'm going to kill you. You can't stop me."

Sayaka shrugged as best she could. "Fair enough."

"I was born a monster. The woman who was supposed to be my mother was sacrificed to bring me into the world. You see, I have a monster inside of me. My father put it inside of me before I was even born. It was that which killed my mother.

"I was spoiled by my father, the Kazekage. For a while, I was satisfied. That is, until the day everything changed."

Sayaka noticed his blank expression changed ever so slightly. She felt the sand stir around her.

"One day, when I was six years old, my father sent an assassin after me. You see, I had become too strong to control. When my father realized this he decided I could no longer exist. The village wanted to erase my existence; I was an unpleasant result to a failed experiment.

"After that, I began to wonder, 'Why do I exist?" If you don't have a reason to live, it's the same as being dead. So, I found a reason."

He stopped. Sayaka found that she had been holding her breath.

"What reason was that?"

His eyes were locked with hers still. She realized, after a moment, that he was no longer scowling. His face was blank once again.

"I exist by ending others' existences. By living only for myself, by loving only myself, I have found the reason for my existence."

Sayaka found, to her dismay, a giggle bubbling up in her throat. Before she could stop it, she found herself laughing. Not because anything was funny, but because it was horribly sad.

The sand shot up to her throat. Sayaka managed to get herself under control. When she was finished, she looked up to see an incredulous look plastered on Gaara's face.

"What are you laughing at?"

Sayaka shook her head. "You must be the biggest, most selfish idiot I have ever met."

Gaara blinked, but otherwise didn't respond.

"I don't care if the whole freaking world hates you. Nobody, and I mean nobody, has a right to live like that. I don't know what it's like to be hated by your own family, but I can tell you one thing. You don't need a reason to live. Even if no one else knows you exist, you still do."

Gaara just glared at her.

Sayaka paused. "You're here, aren't you? You're talking and breathing. You're _living_. Isn't that enough?"

The sand stopped in its upward movement. It twitched slightly, as if considering something.

"Aren't you going to kill me now?"

Sayaka's eyes widened at Gaara's next action. He bent down and put his arms on either side of her head, bringing his face within an inch of hers.

"Why aren't you scared of me?" he asked, his voice a whisper.

Sayaka looked into his eyes and for a moment, for a brief moment, she saw all the agony, hate, terror, and fury of his life. She found herself not pitying him, but feeling compassion for him.

"I'm not afraid to die."

"Really?"

The sand moved again, sliding all the way up to her chin. Sayaka could feel her air supply start to get cut off.

"I think death would be a fascinating journey, don't you?"

Gaara was silent. Sayaka could feel his breath on her face. Neither broke the spell that had fallen over them.

Then the sand moved. Sayaka thought it was all over for her. She expected to feel pain. But nothing came.

Instead, the sand slid off of her. Gaara stood up straight again and turned his back on her. Sayaka watched as he walked away without a word.

_That was… interesting._

Sayaka felt her head spin.

_Maybe I'll just… take a nap…_

She felt herself fall, she was too tired to stop her momentum. But instead, she hit something soft. It shifted beneath her, causing her to open her eyes.

_Sand…?_

Her breathing steadied, she let her eyes close. And the she felt no more.

--

**A/N**: Hooray!! Almost five pages of Gaara!! I hope I kept him fairly OC. He's a hard character to write! Anyway, review. I think everyone should review for this chapter, at the very least. It has _**G-A-A-R-A**_, for heaven's sake!! So, review.


	6. Chapter Five – Comradery & Confrontation

**Disclaimer**: I don't own, pretend I own, or think I own Naruto. I know I never, ever will own Naruto, even in my dreams. If I did, well, I would be even less popular with the Ino-lovers than I am now.

**A/N**: Please review. I appreciate the extra time it takes for you guys to push a button and leave a comment. Really, I do. Because we all know the effort involved in _actually_ moving the mouse, clicking the button, thinking of something to write, typing it down, and then pressing yet _another_ button. If you don't, I will send Shukaku after you!! Mwahaha!!

**Special** **Thanks**: Thank you for all your praise and encouragement! It really helps me to know what people think. This one's for you guys!!

LadyAmazon

Siean Horoc

Sorami-san

Lozzieh

**Chapter Five – Comradery and Confrontation**

Sayaka woke with a start, her heat pounding. Thankfully, though, she was not drenched in sweat again. She looked around wildly, not quite sure where she was.

_The… apartment…?_

This surprised her. She clearly remembered passing out in an abandoned park. In front of…

_Oh…_

She remembered sand cushioning her fall when she had collapsed. Gaara's sand. Had Gaara brought her back? How did he know where she was staying?

_And why in the world didn't he kill me when he had the chance?_

Sayaka blinked once, twice, and a third time before she did a double-check of the room. She didn't know what she expected to see, but she was sure that there would be _some_ evidence that she had been returned safely by Gaara.

Then she saw it. On the windowsill closest to her, as well as on the bed, was a bit of the same golden colored sand that had very nearly killed her the previous night.

_Well, I didn't expect that._

Her eyes tracked back to the window, expecting sunlight to be streaming in through the glass. She was surprised, however, to find that it was dark outside. How long had it been since she'd collapsed?

Sayaka turned around to look at Tenshi's bed. Empty. That meant that Tenshi had to be in the sitting room beyond heir bedroom. Getting up out of the bed, Sayaka went to the window. It was then she realized that it wasn't completely dark yet.

_So I've been asleep for at least a day. Well, I can't say I'm complaining. But still, it's odd. I would usually wake up screaming if I ever dared to sleep that long._

An odd sense of comfort washed over Sayaka. She had been able to sleep for almost twenty-four hours without having the nightmare. That was a new record, the old record being four hours.

Sayaka smiled to herself as she went to check her reflection in the mirror. She was still wearing her clothes from the previous night. Shrugging, the kunoichi figured this just saved her some time and she'd worry about personal hygiene later.

"Oh, you're up," came a gentle voice.

Sayaka turned around to the source of the voice. Tenshi stood in the doorway, watching her friend.

"Yup. How long was I asleep anyway?"

Tenshi smiled. "The whole day. You looked so peaceful, I couldn't bring myself to wake you up."

Sayaka grinned. "Did anything exiting happen while I was asleep?"

"No. In fact, Kyo is so bored he's resorted to laying traps for Yutaka-sensei all around the apartment. I'd be careful if I were you."

"Where's Yutaka-sensei gone?"

Tenshi shrugged. "I don't know. Out somewhere. Probably something to do with the chuunin exams."

"Oh. Where's Kyo now?"

Tenshi shook her head. "Waiting behind the door to scare you when you come out."

"Tenshi!"

Kyo stepped out from behind the door, looking like an over-sized, sullen-faced six-year-old. Sayaka and Tenshi both laughed.

"Sorry, Kyo, sorry. But you have to realize she's only just woken up. She'd probably take your head off before she knew what she was doing."

Sayaka nodded. "It's true, I would."

Kyo tried to keep up his pout, started to slip, then gave it up altogether. Though bull-headed, hot-tempered, and irrationally competitive, he had a good sense of humor.

"Yeah, you're probably right. So… What do you guys want to do now?"

Sayaka shrugged noncommittally. "I don't really care."

"We should probably wait for Sensei, shouldn't we?" Tenshi asked tentatively.

"That would be the best course of action," came a quiet voice from the window.

The three young ninja turned around swiftly, feeling their sensei's eyes upon them. Sayaka was the first to grin, followed by Tenshi, and finally Kyo.

"Kyo, if you're going to set traps, do it right. I can see all thirteen of them."

Kyo shuffled his feet slightly. "Fourteen, sir."

Yutaka raised an eyebrow. "Your lying is as bad as your trap work. But never mind that now. Tenshi, Kyo, come take these bags and start dinner. Sayaka, I'd like to speak with you in private."

Sayaka's teammates started, only then realizing that their sensei was carrying quite a few grocery bags. Quickly, they grabbed the bags and made their way to the small kitchen. Sayaka watched as they threw her furtive glances along the way.

"Sayaka, would you walk with me outside?"

"Yes, Yutaka-sensei."

Sayaka let Yutaka jump back out from the windowsill first, following him after a short pause. It was fully dark by now, the sky a deep, inky color. Yutaka led Sayaka to the back of the hotel, looking around as he did. When they reached the back, he stopped and leaned against the wall.

"You slept for a long time."

Sayaka shrugged. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Why is that, do you think?"

She sighed heavily. "I don't know. The fresh air? I went for a walk last night."

Yutaka turned his shrewd gray eyes on her. The young kunoichi barley kept herself from squirming under their searching gaze.

"Did anything out of the ordinary happen?"

_Well, unless you mean nearly being murdered by a demon-possessed ninja… _

"No, nothing at all."

Yutaka raised an eyebrow at her. Sayaka forced herself to stare back at him. They stayed like that for a few a moments, carefully watching the other's expression.

"Sayaka, you're a very good ninja."

"You've said that before."

"You're also one of the best students I've ever taught."

"I'm glad we've had this chat."

Yutaka gave her a stern look. "You are very good at deception, Sayaka, but I've taught you everything you-"

Sayaka glared at him. "No, Tory taught me before you did."

Yutaka sighed. "Sayaka, I've trained you long enough to know when you're lying to me."

Sayaka paused at that. Now how was she supposed to contradict that? It was hard enough to keep what happened a secret, but she didn't think she could lie much more. Yutaka wasn't nosy and Sayaka knew it. However, if he were worried about her, he wouldn't hesitate to make her tell him the truth.

"Sensei, you know I have the utmost respect for you. You also know that I wouldn't lie to you unless I had a good reason."

Yutaka gave a slight nod. "Can you at least tell me the reason why?"

Sayaka thought about this for a moment. "I think… I think I still have to find that reason myself."

Yutaka shook his head and began to walk back to the hotel. "Someday, Sayaka, that's not going to be good enough."

Sayaka sighed and watched her sensei walk away. "I know. Which is why I need to figure out what the hell I'm doing."

--

"Alright, you three have fun. And remember, we're _guests_ in this village. Conduct yourselves as proper ninja would."

"Sure, sure," Kyo said, starting to walk away as he did.

Yutaka sighed. He was going to go gray before he was even thirty at this rate. He had been telling his team all morning to behave properly and act civilized. The chuunin exams were only three days away and, being one of the jounin with a team of students in them, he had to attend quite a few meetings. Today was the first day that his charges were going to be in Konoha alone. The very thought of it made a sense of foreboding wash over him.

"Sayaka, I'm giving you the money. For the love of everything good and decent in this world do not give it to Kyo."

Sayaka grinned. "Roger that."

Yutaka turned to the smallest of his charges. "Tenshi, make sure they don't give anyone a heart attack or something."

Tenshi smiled softly. "Of course, Sensei."

With that, Yutaka disappeared in a puff of smoke. Kyo was already a good distance away from the girls, who had to hurry up to catch him.

"I'm hungry!!"

Sayaka clapped her hands over her ears. "Kyo! Don't be so loud."

Tenshi smiled and shook her head at her teammates antics. They could be so funny sometimes.

Suddenly, as they were rounding a corner, Sayaka ran into something orange and yellow and very loud. She cursed as she started to fall, only to be caught by Kyo.

"Thanks, Kyo."

"Don't mention it."

Sayaka turned her attention to the thing she had bumped into. There, sprawled on the ground and rubbing his behind, was a young boy about her own age.

"Naruto! Watch where you're going!"

The girl standing behind the before mentioned orange blur smacked him upside the head. Sayaka noticed instantly that the girl's hair was a glaring shade of pink. Briefly, Sayaka wondered if it was natural or if she dyed it.

"Sakura!! That hurt! You didn't have top hit so hard!"

The Getsu squad watched as the boy clambered to his feet, now rubbing his head. Sayaka struggled to keep a straight face. Kyo, on the other hand, had thrown all caution to the winds and was now laughing hysterically.

"What's so funny?" asked the orange jumpsuit clad boy huffily.

"You're outfit!"

Tenshi sighed and punched Kyo in the shoulder. Hard. Kyo yelped in pain and gave the small girl a wounded look.

The pink-headed girl pushed past the boy and bowed. "I'm sorry for his behavior. He has no manners whatsoever," the girl turned back to the boy, "Apologize to the nice people Naruto!"

Naruto rubbed the back of his neck and grinned sheepishly. "Sorry about that."

Sayaka smiled. "No hard feelings. I'm used to it."

The boy grinned wider than Sayaka thought was possible. Thrusting out his hand, he stepped forward and met her gaze directly.

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto. This is Haruno Sakura and the jerk behind me is Uchiha Sasuke."

Sayaka smiled and took his hand in hers. "I'm Sayaka Akahana, this guy behind me is Takeda Kyo, and this is Shizuma Tenshi."

Naruto ginned even more, if that was possible. Sayaka liked him instantly. He had the kind of personality that you couldn't help but love.

Sakura stepped forward and offered her own hand. "Nice to meet you."

Tenshi shook her hand. "Pleased to meet you as well."

"Hn," came a voice form behind Sakura and Naruto.

For the first time, Sayaka noticed the boy standing behind both of them. He dressed in darker clothes than either of his teammates and he wore a scowl on his handsome features. Sayaka blinked, noticing that his hair looked suspiciously like…

"A duck's butt."

All five people around Sayaka blinked simultaneously. Sayaka had locked eyes with the dark-haired youth who was glaring at her in return.

"Excuse me?"

Sayaka disliked him instantly. He had the cool, aloof attitude of someone who thought they were better than everyone. Being a rather temperamental person, Sayaka felt her anger rising.

"The back of your head looks like a duck's a-"

"Sayaka!" exclaimed a mortified Tenshi.

Naruto blinked, grinned, and then burst out into a laughing fit. Kyo had joined in and the two were now slapping each other on the back. Sayaka folded her arms across her chest, glaring daggers at Sasuke. Sasuke continued to glare back at Sayaka. Tenshi looked between them, her face distressed. Sakura looked as if she was trying to decide if Sasuke needed defending.

Then Sayaka did the unthinkable. She stepped forward and flicked the onyx-eyed boy on the nose. He blinked, taken aback.

"Don't you know it's rude to stare at a girl?"

At this, Naruto fell down laughing. Kyo was leaning against the wall, clutching his sides.

"I don't see a girl," he replied coolly.

At this, Kyo stopped laughing. "Oh crap."

Sasuke's comment was of course untrue. Sayaka had fine features, even if her physique wasn't totally developed yet. She was unmistakably a girl, but this hadn't stopped Sasuke.

Sayaka took one long look at him. A serious internal debate was going on inside her head. To punch Sasuke or not to punch Sasuke; that was the question…

"Sayaka," Tenshi said cautiously.

Lucky for Mr. Duck-Butt-Head, Tenshi had stopped the internal debate before the punching side had won. The boy in question looked smugly at Sayaka. The kunoichi's eyebrow twitched.

_Self-control, Self-control, Self-control, Self... Oh screw this._

And she punched him. Not hard enough to bruise but not soft enough to keep him standing upright. He staggered back a couple of steps, a livid expression fixed on his face.

"I told you not to stare at me."

Sakura looked murderous and Tenshi looked horrified. Naruto walked up behind Sayaka and clapped a hand to her shoulder.

"I like you."

Sasuke managed to right himself and place another blank expression over his features. Sakura sighed, obviously not wanting any more confrontation.

"Hey, Naruto, know any good places to eat around here?"

The blonde grinned. "Follow me."

--

Two hours later, the Getsu trio were on their way again. Eating lunch with the three Konoha genin had turned out to be a good idea.

Sasuke and Sayaka had, theoretically, made up. In a way, at least. They at least hadn't got into a fistfight. Which, in part, was only because of Kyo. Surprisingly, he had been the one to calm everybody down in Tenshi's moment of mortified silence.

Sayaka had gotten to know the three young ninja better. Naruto apparently wanted to become Hokage someday, to which Sakura and Sasuke had rolled their eyes. It was apparent immediately that this was said a lot. Sakura hadn't talked much except to gush over Sasuke or beat up Naruto. Sasuke had barely talked at all but Sayaka certainly didn't complain about that.

They had parted from each other's company when a silver-haired, masked jounin had come to fetch the three Konoha genin. Sayaka, Kyo, and Tenshi had then decided to go and sightsee around the large village.

Walking in compensable silence, the three young ninja made their way slowly down the street. None of them were paying very close attention to the road as they walked. The comfortable silence stretched out before them when…

_Wham._

For the second time that day, Sayaka fell back after ramming into something. This time, however, she was prepared. Sliding her leg back, she steadied herself before she lost her balance too much.

"Watch where you're going, pipsqueak," said a rough voice in front of her.

Sayaka looked up and instantly had to keep herself from laughing. Dressed in a head-to-toe jumpsuit with a face decorated with what she assumed was war paint stood the older boy she had seen that first day in Konoha.

The boy she had seen with Gaara.

She looked around and, sure enough, there he was. The same red hair, the same aquamarine eyes, and the same chilling glare stared back at her. Sayaka thought that maybe Gaara's eyes softened just slightly when he looked at her, but she wanted that too much to trust her eyes.

"You know, I hear that saying you're sorry is a great conversation starter. You should try it sometime."

The boy started forward when the blonde girl stopped him. "Kankuro, that's enough. We didn't come here for this."

Gaara was silent. Sayaka looked at him, smiled slightly, and winked. She swore she saw his lip twitch slightly.

"Temari, I don't really care."

"I don't like being ignored," Sayaka said in a bored tone.

Kankuro glared at her. "Why you little brat!"

He grabbed the forehead protector that rested around her neck and pulled it upward. Sayaka hissed, standing on her tiptoes to prevent being strangled.

"You know, I really hate punks like you," Kankuro said, his upper lip curling in disgust."

Sayaka winced as he pulled higher. "Glad we've established this."

The Suna nin pulled tighter. Just as Sayaka reached for a kunai, a tanned hand caught Kankuro's wrist.

"I suggest you let go of my teammate before I rip your arm out of your socket," said Kyo, his expression dead serious.

Beside him, Tenshi had reached for her steel-plated whip. Her face had gone blank, a danger sign if Tenshi ever had one. Sayaka smiled mentally; her squad would always come to her defense if she needed them.

Temari was reaching for the giant fan behind her. Her face was filled with exasperation and caution.

"Kankuro let her go."

Everyone turned towards Gaara. His expression was the same as it always was, but Sayaka saw something different. There was something deeply disturbing lurking in his eyes.

Kankuro looked reluctant, but obliged almost immediately. He dropped Sayaka unceremoniously to the ground, where she landed catlike in a crouch.

"You know, I don't think he said to _drop_ me," Sayaka said.

He made to turn away when Sayaka swung her leg out, hooked his ankle with her foot, and pulled. Kankuro fell over, promptly knocking into Temari and Gaara.

Sayaka was thoroughly surprised when sand shot out of his gourd and shielded Gaara from the blow. Both Temari and Kankuro toppled over, leaving only Gaara standing.

"Look, dominos!" Kyo said gleefully.

The two Suna nin clambered back up off the ground, looking murderous. As soon as they were on their feet, Gaara pushed passed the Getsu nin and continued down the street. His teammates followed him obediently, still looking like they would like to take off Sayaka's head.

Sayaka stood upright, turning around to face the leaving ninja, her expression amused. Suddenly, Gaara stopped. Turning around, he fixed his cold stare onto Sayaka's blue eyes.

"What I said before still stands. I _will_ kill you, regardless of my earlier actions. You will further my existence."

Sayaka smiled softly. "I'll be waiting."

Gaara turned then, walking away with his teammates trailing along behind him. Kyo and Tenshi watched them go, apprehension clear on their faces. Sayaka turned away, starting again along her previous path.

"Hey! Sayaka, wait up!"

Sayaka turned around to give Kyo a quizzical look. The taller ninja looked down at her worriedly.

"Who the hell was that?"

Sayaka looked at their frightened expressions and smiled wickedly. "My own personal grim reaper."

--

**A/N**: Whew! That's the longest chapter yet. Please review, I worked really hard on this one. I hope you all liked it. Thanks for reading and reviewing! Ja ne!


	7. Chapter Six – Embarrassing Friendship

**Disclaimer**: If I owned Naruto, do you really think I would I be here?

**A/N**: Don't kill me! I'm SORRY!! I'll try to update faster in the future. I haven't done anything for months. Sorry people… On a different note, the more reviews I get the faster I review! So, go review after you read. On yet another note, this story is definitely going to be a trilogy! T.T I'm so happy!! My friend is planning on drawing Sayaka, as she gets older. -sobs- She might even put it on DeviantArt. SHE'S THE BESTEST FRIEND EVER!!

**Special** **Thanks**: Thanks to all my wonderful reviewers who probably hate me now because of my laziness.

LadyAmazon

Wateranddarkness666

Lozzieh

Siean Horoc

**Chapter Six – Embarrassing Friendship**

"I. Am. So. Freaking. Bored!"

Two of the three Getsu genin were lying on their hotel's roof. Their sensei was gone once again, presumably at another meeting.

"Kyo, shut up."

"Make me."

Sayaka sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. It was only ten o'clock at night and that was much to early for her to sleep. Tenshi had already gone to sleep, leaving Sayaka with the incredibly annoying Kyo.

"Kyo?"

"Huh?"

"Shut up or I'll kick your butt of this roof. You know I can."

Silence.

_Thank Heaven…_

The beginning of the chuunin exams was tomorrow and everyone was on edge. Yutaka was gone more than ever, Tenshi was even quieter than usual, Kyo was being jerkier than before, and Sayaka was having more trouble sleeping.

_How in the _world _did I manage to fall asleep when we first got here? The only thing different, besides my location, was…_

Sayaka stopped the thought in its tracks. She didn't want to think about it. After the adrenaline of the two encounters with a certain mysterious redhead wore off, Sayaka realized that she needed to stay away from him. He was dangerous and unpredictable. Pride and adrenaline had made her say stupid things.

_Still, he was pretty fascinating…_

Sayaka sat up abruptly, startling Kyo into jumping to his feet and nearly falling off the roof.

"You idiot!" Sayaka said as she grabbed Kyo to keep him from falling.

"You're the one who startled me!"

Sayaka sighed, ignoring him and grabbed the edge of the roof. In one fluid movement, she jumped from the edge and swung herself into their hotel room window, landing silently in a crouch.

Kyo followed only slightly less gracefully. He gave Sayaka a quizzical look as he straightened up.

"What's wrong with you?"

Sayaka pursed her lips and stood up. "I can't sleep Kyo…"

Kyo frowned. "That's not unusual."

Sayaka glared at him but said nothing. Silence stretched out between the two young ninja.

"Well, you might not sleep, but some of us do. I'm hitting the hay. 'Night, Sayaka."

"Sleep well."

Kyo paused before his bedroom door. "Hey, you too."

Sayaka rolled her eyes as he closed the door behind him. Nothing let her fall asleep like a normal person. Not even sleeping pills.

_Ugh, I need to train._

With the quiet efficiency of a panther, she leapt out the window once again.

_I wonder if I'll see Gaara again._

--

Unbeknownst to the young kunoichi, a silent figure stood watching her in the shadows of the hotel. The figure stood perfectly still, almost like a statue.

The mysterious figure watched as Sayaka jumped gracefully from the window and onto the ground without a sound. They watched as she took off in the direction of the more populated area of Konoha.

A flash of aquamarine was scene before the figure vanished into the darkness

--

"This is… peaceful. Nice. This is relaxing. I'm not anxious. I'm not tired. I'm not bored. And most importantly, I am not waiting for Gaara!"

Sayaka's eyebrow twitched when her listener, a rather frightened looking cat, yowled and jumped of the trashcan it had been sitting on and ran down the alley.

"This is why I hate cats. Dogs are better. Dogs listen."

A passing couple stared at the young kunoichi as she continued to rant about the pros and cons of furry four-legged animals. It was already midnight and Sayaka still wasn't tired enough to brave sleeping.

_Okay, let's think about this rationally. The chuunin exams start tomorrow and I'm waiting for a demon-possessed nutcase to come and almost kill me so I can fall asleep._

Sayaka stopped. It was insane and irrational. She was being stupid and she knew it. But still…

_Okay, I'm an idiot. Now, let's go find us a crazed killer, shall we?_

Switching directions completely, Sayaka quickly for an unpopulated area. After a few minutes, she wandered into Konoha's forest.

_Well, although this is a great place for training I don't see my grim reaper…_

Sayaka wandered around for a few minutes, grumbling about the timing of sand nin. She soon came across a large clearing with s small pond in it. The young kunoichi smiled inwardly; she loved places like this.

_Maybe if I wait here for a while…_

Sitting down on the ground, the Getsu nin picked up a handful of rocks and began skipping them across the pond. The gentle plip, plop of the rocks hitting the water's surface began the hypnotize Sayaka. After waiting a few more minutes, Sayaka grumbled and lay back on the grassy earth. She dumped the handful of rocks in her fist onto the dirt beside her head.

She stayed like that for thirty seconds before sitting up again in sheer boredom.

"Damnit, Gaara, where are you!?"

Right on cue, golden sand was suddenly wrapping itself around her waist. Sayaka, despite her previous composure around him, yelped in surprise and ended up falling in the pond when the sand let go.

She screamed in frustration, "Crap!!"

Gaara stood beside a tree, his ever-present glare still plastered over his face. Sayaka stopped her swearing a moment to glare back at him. Both shinobi stood like that for a few seconds, neither one blinking.

Suddenly, Sayaka burst out laughing. Gaara continued to glare at her even as she clambered out of the pond and onto the bank, still laughing. If anyone had been around, they surely would've woken up. Thankfully, the two young ninja stood deep enough inside the forest that nobody heard Sayaka.

As Sayaka stood up, her clothes dripping wet, she said, "You shouldn't sneak up on people like that."

Gaara's glare only increased as Sayaka began to form hand seals. Wind suddenly rushed into the clearing and began forming around the young kunoichi. The young Suna shinobi watched as the girl's hair and clothes began to dry.

"There, that's much better. As I was saying, you shouldn't sneak up on people. It scares them."

Gaara blinked. "How do you know I wasn't trying to scare you?"

Sayaka sat back down. "Good point."

Gaara remained standing where he was. Sayaka rested her head in her hand, her elbow sitting on her knee.

"Well? Aren't you going to sit down?"

"I'm going to kill you."

Sayaka blinked. "That's nice. Will you sit down before you do?"

Gaara's glare deepened. "Why aren't you afraid of me?"

"Haven't we already been through this? I'm not afraid to die. I don't want to die, but I'm not afraid to do it."

"You're stupid."

"And you have no eyebrows," Sayaka patted the ground beside her, "Now that we've established this, will you sit down?"

Gaara, seeing no apparent threat, obliged. Sayaka sighed as he sat down beside her facing the pond.

"Have you ever tried smiling?"

"No."

"Why not?"

Silence.

Sayaka sighed again. She seemed to be doing that a lot lately. In one swift movement, she turned herself to face the pond too.

"So, why are you always out here? Don't you ever sleep?"

"No."

Sayaka's head snapped in his direction. "What?"

"I don't sleep. Ever."

Sayaka paused. "Why not?"

"Have you ever seen a rampaging demon?"

"No."

"Do you want to?"

"Of course not."

"Then you don't want me to sleep."

Sayaka's mouth formed a silent 'oh'. Both young teenagers faced the pond in silence.

"Why aren't you asleep?"

Sayaka almost fell over again in surprise. "What?"

Gaara sent her a scowl that said he wouldn't repeat himself. Sayaka gulped, wondered why he was asking her, then took a deep breath.

"I, uh, have nightmares. It takes me a while to get to sleep."

Silence.

"Why do you ask…?"

Sayaka didn't expect him to actually answer. But, once again, the sand nin seemed full of surprises.

"What do you dream about?"

She shivered. "Blood and death and ashes and tears. A demon and a woman who loved too much. A way of life destroyed."

Gaara didn't answer her that time. Sayaka looked out over the pond. The surface of the calm water reflected the moon and stars.

"Which do you like better, the moon or the stars?"

The Suna shinobi paused at her odd question. "The moon…"

Sayaka nodded. "Me too."

The young kunoichi felt sleep tugging at her eyelids. She shook her head, desperate to stay awake.

"What is love?"

It was Sayaka's turn to blink. Gaara waited expectantly.

"Love is… Hm, that's a hard one."

"Why? Don't you love someone?"

"Of course. I love my brother and sensei and Kyo and Tenshi. Don't _you_ love anybody?"

"No," he said without hesitating.

Sayaka sighed yet again. "I find that sad…"

"Why?"

"Life would be boring and sad without the people I love. I can't imagine what it would be like."

Gaara ignored that comment. "You didn't answer my previous question."

Sayaka shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe because love's such a strong feeling? There are different kinds of love, you know. Love for your family, love for your friends, for your teammates, or even for your village.

"I guess love is a feeling of utter devotion. The want to protect someone no matter what happens. Wanting to always be by their side through thick or thin. Being ready to die for them, or live for them. I think love is selfless and beautiful. Most people don't understand that, I think…"

Gaara didn't respond. Once again, sleep made Sayaka's eyelids heavy. She rubbed her eyes, stifling a yawn as she did. Both young shinobi sat still for a long while.

Sayaka broke the silence. "Don't you have any friends?"

No hesitation. "No."

Sayaka knew she was falling asleep. She yawned and stretched, still watching the pond.

"Yes you do."

Gaara turned his head to face her. The young girl was nodding off even as she spoke. He turned to face the lake again.

"If you want… maybe we can be… Maybe we can be friends…"

The sand nin felt something heavy on his shoulder. He looked down and saw the top of Sayaka's silver head. His sand shifted around uneasily but otherwise remained at attention.

He frowned. She was much too relaxed in his presence. Too trusting and innocent. But, still…

_Friends?_

--

_It's way too cold in here. And too bright. What the heck is Tenshi trying to do to me?_

Sayaka shut her eyes tighter and moved her head against the only source of warmth she could find.

_What happened last night…? I was in the clearing talking to Gaara, I think. Why don't I remember falling asleep?_

Suddenly, Sayaka's eyes snapped open. Sitting bolt upright, she looked around wildly.

_Trees, pond, grass. Where the hell am I!? Oh, that's right, in the clearing. No wonder it was so cold. Oh crap, Yutaka-sensei is going to fry my butt for staying out all night. Wait, wasn't something warm?_

As Sayaka turned her head to the right, aquamarine clashed with midnight. Sayaka felt the heat rush up her neck and into her cheeks, not to mention the rest of her face.

_Holy crap!! I fell asleep on him! You idiot, Sayaka! Stupid, stupid, stupid!! Apologize _now_!_

"I, uh… Um… I'm, uh, really sorry about, um, falling asleep on you and… Yeah…"

Gaara just gave Sayaka a blank stare. The young kunoichi shifted uncomfortably under his gaze.

"How come you didn't kill me?"

Silence.

Suddenly, Sayaka remembered something important. She looked up at the sky in alarm.

_Thank Heaven, it's still early. Probably around six or seven o'clock. Wow, I was asleep for almost six hours in a forest. That's new…_

Sayaka stood quickly, bowing partly in thanks and partly to hide her blush.

"Thank you for letting me sleep. Um, I guess I'll see you later today. The chuunin exams are starting soon, I think."

Gaara gave no answer to her."

Sayaka shifted from one foot to the other. "Thanks again. See you later!"

With that, she raced off towards her hotel. Gaara watched her go, his expression still blank.

_Friends… with that girl…_

--

"Do you have any idea what time it is, you lady!?"

Sayaka's eyebrow twitched. "Cut the crap, Kyo."

Tenshi hugged her teammate. We were worried when you weren't here this morning. We thought something bad had happened to you."

Yutaka frowned at his student. "Where were you?"

Sayaka met his gaze evenly. "I fell asleep in the forest. Nothing to worry about, honestly."

Yutaka shook his head but otherwise let his student be. He knew something was up, but he decided to trust her.

"Well, go get ready."

Sayaka grinned as she ran off to take a shower and gather her weapons. Fifteen minutes later, she was out and ready.

Yutaka smiled. "You three ready?"

Kyo punched his fist into the air. "Hell yes!"

"Yes, Yutaka-sensei," Tenshi said, smiling.

Sayaka grinned fiercely. "Always."

Yutaka grinned and led his three students out into the hallway and out of the hotel. Things were about to get interesting.

As they walked out into the morning light, Sayaka couldn't help but smile brighter.

_Friends… With Gaara…_

--

**A/N**: Okay, Gaara was a little OOC here, but if you think about, he wouldn't be IC unless he actually killed Sayaka. We wouldn't want that, would we? :P

Lots of GaaSaya fluff here. Think of it as an apology for my late update. -bows- Please forgive me and review!

Sayaka: Review or die.

Me: Sayaka!!

Sayaka: What? You were thinking it too!

Me: Good point. Listen to Sayaka or Shukaku will eat you.


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